AuroraBlue, Emma, x0x0

Gabe and I were visiting with Krenshar at the Fook Me Hookah Lounge when AuroraBlue dropped in. Not a metaphor, she dropped in.

Much different than her usual talkitive confrontational ornery cub self. And a new look, hope that's body paint.

She stared at us and held onto Krenshar's leg. We played follow-the-leader or tag, it was hard to tell.

We chased her all the wasy to the church at the spaceport. AuroraBlue had a fascination for the same statue that LilyBell did, the one with the sheep. At least she purred a bit, even rubbed against Gabe's foot for a bit. AuroraBlue went back to the statue, look at it, look at Gabe, look at the statue, back and forth. Aurora's eyes flashed like raprapid firing gun as they focus on the Fruity Oaty Bar picture on Gabe's shirt.

Then follow the leader/tag to the courtyard and watched AuroraBlue put her head under the water like LilyBell did during her baptism. Maybe word gets around.

The chase continues to the Blue Sun Corporation Building, WHO DO NOT LOCK THEIR DOORS. We found AuroraBlue on the top floor, she left a bottle of gecko milk by the couches. AuroraBlue LittleBoots clawed at the dragon pictures on the side, shredding it a bit. Then somehow she got onto the roof and began to chop at the roof with one of the little axes.

Finally the chase leads to the Mayor's Office on horseback (taken from x0x0's stable). AuroraBlue LittleBoots stood and looked at the computer without saying a word, perfectly still. When prompted, she repeated, "xyz xyz xyz xyz" and blinked several times.

I asked her if she knew about LilyBell's abduction, which she merely responded, "Home" and "safe," followed by the cryptic, "Danger like a dagger." Lily said the same thing to Gabe a week earlier.

She sniffed the pink bear in Seana's office, whispered something about "almost time" and hid under the desk. I don't know what could spook the usually fearless AuroraBlue.

Then she ditched us.

Later, I am following up with x0x0 Zhangsun about a reference I gave Emma Ditko for the executive position she had. I informed her about LilyBell's disappearance. She seemed mostly incredulous that LilyBell was taken against her will. Her biggest concern was to find a replacement electrician.

x0x0 was looking for Amon, but he had been absent of late.

Emma had her interview with x0x0. When I spoke with her about it later, Emma commented that x0x0 mainly asked her questions that she already knew the answers to. I suspected that x0x0 wanted to see if Emma would withhold info or maybe just to observe for reactions. That is Emma7 wearing her uniform for when she works with us for the Consolidated Associate Traders of Zenobia.



I consider these events to be related somehow. LilyBell's abduction, AuroraBlue's strange visit and x0x0's reaction. Will bear further observation.

I hope Seana finds LilyBell soon.

Mission: Corpsicle

Mission: Corpsicle

(A week before, a meeting in a shuttle craft, somewhere in orbit over Hale's Moon.)



[14:28] Gallagher Aeon: Before we begin, I would just like to thank you all for coming and thank you for joining the Dharma Resistance. As you know the Alliance has moved back into Hale's and now Blue Sun seems to have followed. Gallagher Aeon: Alliance has a large craft above Hale's; they claim to be friendly, but obviously we know better. They claim to be here to help protect us from loyalists, reavers and raider, but since we have seen a huge number of reavers over past weeks I think its safe to say they have done fuck all. They claim to be trying to deal with the loyalists but somehow they haven’t managed to capture them yet and the loyalists I've seen are well equipped, shiny new uniforms and all. I believe they are receiving help, maybe from the Alliance themselves, maybe from other sources. The Alliance claim they cannot be held responsible for their actions and the mayor has worked very hard to keep the peace with the Alliance, which is where we come in. Essentially, we are browncoat loyalists. The Alliance cannot hold the town responsible, which protects the town and allows us to continue fighting.

[14:34] Gallagher Aeon pauses to collect his thoughts.

[14:35] Gallagher Aeon: we have to remain a secret. The public face of Dharma is a charity organization formed to help Alliance war veterans

[14:35] Gallagher Aeon: The mayor aware of our existence unofficially. She has deniability. The Alliance has never really looking into our organization because on the surface we appear to be allies of theirs. They don’t hurt their own, which helps us a great deal. We are working on taking down the Alliance from within, we have many people on the inside working closely with their armed forces.

[14:42] Gallagher Aeon: in Hale's there are only 13 of us in the main group, but we have many supporters ready to join if required. We have groups set up throughout the verse now, all working in secret just like us

[14:43] Gallagher Aeon coughs.

[14:43] Gallagher Aeon: Anyway. Back to the reason why I called this meeting. A few months back Jai Raghilda found 2 cryogenically frozen bodies onboard a derelict vessel; tests revealed these bodies were infected with Pax, a new strain. This means the Alliance once again think they can improve people and once again they failed miserably, these bodies if thawed out would become reavers in minutes, mentally anyway. We got stupid. We believed we were the only ones who knew of the bodies. Two days later I saw an Alliance vessel surrounded by Alliance soldiers in the Hales shipyard, as I turned to leave my office I was shot from directly behind. I stumbled towards the door and I was shot twice more from a different angle. Our forensics tests revealed the shots were from 2 snipers posed on the outskirts of the town, seemingly to take out any witnesses. Luckily I was found and taken to the sickbay, but both bodies were taken. At the time the dharma base was buried, we were keeping the bodies in the hanger. This is what I meant when I said we were stupid, we didn’t know what we had until it was too late. Three weeks after a contact of mine engaged in a battle with an Alliance cruiser over "Ralph" an uninhabited desert planet. He stowed the body away in a cave, which is where I retrieved it. It’s now in our storage area, safe. The other body wasn’t found, until now. My source tells me they cryobody is being transported to the core worlds. Along the way the security shuttle is stopping at the Alliance ship above hales to refuel. This is our chance. The plan is to stage a phony reaver attack and call for Alliance help. With their troops on the ground, the vessel above should be almost empty. They have sworn that they will help if we ask. While the troops are on the ground we will fly up in a cloaked shuttle, this shuttle. It’s fitted with a pulse emitter which will knock out their radar so they won’t read our arrival. My contact has supplied me with the codes to their hanger doors; the shuttle should be just inside. We believe it will be guarded by replicants, breaking them should be easy. We then fly back to Hale's and store the body away in the hemlock. The shuttle is going to be up there for a while, it seems the Alliance don’t believe us to be a threat.

[14:54] Gallagher Aeon: which is another reason why I called this meeting, we need to decide on a date and time.

15:02] Gallagher Aeon: The plan: We go up in the shuttle, kill the replicants, take the body, come back to ground. I am going to have Krenshar cause the distraction on the ground. Our pulse emitter will knock out their security cameras and we will shoot any witnesses.

[15:03] Gallagher Aeon: if you feel safer wearing a mask or hood then by all means do so. They will not be expecting us and the fact that they are staying for so long suggests they don’t consider us a threat.

[15:05] Gallagher Aeon hands out helmets, these helmets have a data disruption code built in, should stop the replicants from being able to see our faces. By all means use your own.

Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. I have a stealth outfit picked out for the mission. It’s a black suit with various emitters built in.

[15:12] Gallagher Aeon: even darkening the dharma suit to black would work

[15:14] Gallagher Aeon: I don’t see there being too many issues with this, the important thing is for us to be seen at the beginning and end of the battle below, if there are witnesses that claim we were there, we are not suspects, have your friends back up your alibi.

[15:17] Gallagher Aeon: if that’s all then this meeting is over. Thanks for coming; I will now return us to the ground.


(A day before.)

[12:55] Gallagher Aeon looks at the Alliance soldier
[12:55] Seana Xue: Excuse me, you the owner of the Hookah Lounge?
[12:56] Gabe Yazimoto: That would be me. Can I help you?
[12:56] Seana Xue: Word has it you can provide discreet transport?
[12:56] Gabe Yazimoto nods. Let's talk elsewhere.
[12:57] Seana Xue: I missed my ride. I need to get up to my cruiser without making any big deal of it. I was... (Smiles) detained down here.
[12:57] Gabe Yazimoto looks her over. "That a fact. Well, reckon I can help you out. You got coin?"
[12:58] Seana Xue: Yes. Had a short leave. Yes. Coin. What's your price?
[12:59] Gabe Yazimoto names a price that's reasonable, plus some.
[12:59] Seana Xue: And how soon can we go? Now?
[12:59] Gabe Yazimoto nods and pockets the coin. "Yes, we can go now. You in a hurry?"
[13:00] Seana Xue: yes. I am in a hurry.
[13:00] Gabe Yazimoto looks at her but doesn't comment. Shiny. My shuttle is over here.
[13:00] Seana Xue: Nice boat.
[13:01] Gabe Yazimoto: Thanks. It belongs to a friend of mine, but it flies true. You got coordinates, miss?
[13:01] Seana Xue: No, I Was hoping you had some idea where it was....
[13:02] Gabe Yazimoto grins.
[13:02] Seana Xue: Figure you got good recon down here.
[13:03] Gabe Yazimoto: Might do, might do. Hold on a sec while I program this thing...bangs a little on the control console.
[13:04] Seana Xue nods
[13:05] Gabe Yazimoto looks at her while she programs the autopilot. "So, got leave on Hale's, huh? Hope it was relaxing."
[13:13] Gabe Yazimoto sees the Alliance cruiser materialize out of the clouds.
[13:14] Seana Xue sighs "Can you drop me off....I'm...I'm supposed to be guarding it."
[13:14] Gabe Yazimoto: Not happy to be back on duty, miss? Protecting the 'verse?
[13:14] Seana Xue: Not so much, no.
[13:15] Gabe Yazimoto: Oh, you a guard?
[13:15] Seana Xue: Yes.
[13:15] Gabe Yazimoto: Is it... heavily guarded, this thing?
[13:15] Seana Xue: Not yet. We're getting more staff and...some delivery. Later today.
[13:15] Gabe Yazimoto: ... I see.
[13:16] Seana Xue: Thank you.
[13:19] Seana Xue nods "I'll just pretend I don't see you. Thank you again".
[13:19] Gabe Yazimoto: No worries, miss. I'll be on my way in a jiffy...
[13:19] Gabe Yazimoto takes a good look around.
[13:20] Gabe Yazimoto: Paid fair and square, we even. So... you getting some company tomorrow? That's gotta be nice, not bein' all lonely up here. I'll leave you to it, miss. You take care now.

**HALE'S MOON CHANNEL**
[13:24] Gabe Yazimoto: **static** This is Gabe Yazimoto on the Hale's Moon channel, requesting Sheriff Gallagher. Come in, Gallagher. **static**
[13:24] Gallagher Aeon: here
[13:24] Gallagher Aeon: What is it Gabe?
[13:24] Gabe Yazimoto: Can I get you on a private channel, Sheriff?
[13:24] Gallagher Aeon: opening a channel now
**HALE'S MOON CHANNEL**


**PRIVATE CHANNEL**
[13:24] Gallagher Aeon: what
[13:25] Gabe Yazimoto: Hey, Sheriff. This is regarding tomorrow's... outing.
[13:25] Gallagher Aeon: yeah
[13:26] Gabe Yazimoto: I just got commissioned to give an Alliance guard a ride back to the cruiser. I'm on my way back to my shuttle, but it's very lightly guarded, I can move freely. Thought I'd... have a stroll around. Should I look for... emergency exits?
[13:27] Gallagher Aeon: Best not to, don’t want to draw attention. If they see people sniffing around, they might increase security
[13:27] Gabe Yazimoto: I am being stealthy, Sheriff, but all right.
[13:27] Gallagher Aeon: Take a few pics.
[13:28] Gallagher Aeon: we have blueprints for the place though
[13:28] Gabe Yazimoto: All right. Will do. Ah, shiny.
[13:29] Gallagher Aeon: are you still up there?
[13:29] Gabe Yazimoto: Yes. On my way down to the docking area. It's a huge ship, long hallways.
[13:30] Gallagher Aeon: yes I have visited it in the past, I am coming up
[13:30] Gabe Yazimoto: I am in the docking bay now. I'll wait for you.
[13:31] Gallagher Aeon: What height u at?
[13:32] Gabe Yazimoto: 2000
[13:33] Gallagher Aeon: keep quiet, just in case
[13:33] Gabe Yazimoto: Hey, Sheriff.
[13:33] Gabe Yazimoto lowers her voice.
[13:34] Gallagher Aeon presses a button on his watch and a high pitched tone plays out, "The cameras are down, we can move freely as long as we don’t meet anyone"
[13:34] Gabe Yazimoto looks around. "Shiny. So all they see is me going to the docking bay, then nothing."
[13:34] Gallagher Aeon: yep
[13:35] Gabe Yazimoto: Talked to the guard. She said it's very lightly guarded at the moment.
[13:35] Gallagher Aeon: good, this is where I am told the shuttle will be held
[13:36] Gabe Yazimoto: But tomorrow they're getting more guards. And a... shipment.
[13:36] Gallagher Aeon: to refuel
[13:36] Gabe Yazimoto: Seems your intel was good.... nice beds they got.
[13:37] Gallagher Aeon: think this must be one of their private quarters
[13:37] Gabe Yazimoto: Throwin' coin at everything.
[13:38] Gallagher Aeon: It’s unlocked, walk through
[13:39] Gabe Yazimoto is slightly out of breath, "Gorrammit, this is a big ship."
[13:39] Gallagher Aeon: totally empty
[13:40] Gallagher Aeon taps a button and his shuttle car flies through the complex and into the area
[13:40] Gallagher Aeon: easier to fly through
[13:40] SC Ultimate Delorean: Flight Mode engaged
[13:41] Gabe Yazimoto: Don't take me down, Sheriff, I can't leave Jai's shuttle up here.
[13:41] Gallagher Aeon: I won’t
[13:43] Gabe Yazimoto: Thanks, Sheriff. The air is... bad up here, too clean, can't breathe proper.
[13:44] Gallagher Aeon: Jump in your shuttle, we should get outta here
(Late the evening before)

[21:47] Seana Kawanishi: Good eve, Jai.
[21:47] Jai Raghilda: Hello Madame Major.
[21:53] Jai Raghilda: Gabe, Emma and I got new uniforms for when we do work to the core or deal with the Alliance. Remind me of my old boarding school uni, sort of a Gestapo flight attendant look
[21:53] Seana Kawanishi: Ah, yeah. Alliance crews tend to respect a uniform. Makes them feel comfortable.
[21:54] Jai Raghilda: the core is a bit more structured than here, uniforms are part of structure
[21:54] Sabrina McGee: MMM.. just a bit, yeah.
[21:54] Jai Raghilda: command and control culture
[21:54] Seana Kawanishi: Ya think? *laughs*
[21:55] Jai Raghilda: I haven't had any trouble with Alliance out here or the border planets either, fake Alliance maybe. I was accosted by loyalists pretending to be Alliance over shadow
[21:58] Seana Kawanishi: They -are- Alliance. Just loyal to a different command structure.
[21:59] Jai Raghilda: Hm, I used the wrong term then, these folks were using outdated equipment, but were not currently Alliance
[21:59] Seana Kawanishi: It's ok. The politics behind it are pretty convoluted, and largely hidden.
[22:00] Jai Raghilda: What's going on at the Alliance Ship in orbit?
[22:00] Seana Kawanishi: The Abraham Sinkov? She comes and goes, patrolling this sector.
[22:01] Jai Raghilda: They still pretty light staffed?
[22:02] Seana Kawanishi: They have a full platoon of combat troops aboard, as well as the Frigate's Navy crew.
[22:07] Jai Raghilda: Do you know if the Alliance is shipping in folks and supplies today? I like to steer clear
[22:08] Seana Kawanishi: To the Sinkov? Possible. They don't usually tell me unless it's relevant to our situation here.
[22:09] Jai Raghilda: I thought it would be like any port, 24 hour notice of any ship over a certain tonnage
[22:10] Seana Kawanishi: Only if they're bothering to land. They usually just hard dock the supply ship in high orbit.
[22:10] Jai Raghilda: that's a supply ship? Ohhhh
[22:11] Jai Raghilda: so it’s not the ship that actually patrols
[22:11] Seana Kawanishi: No, it is. I thought you were referring to a resupply for the Sinkov.
[22:12] Seana Kawanishi: They sent the Frigate because it's logistically easier than patrolling with a Cruiser.
[22:13] Jai Raghilda: I don't really know the situation with the Alliance here, they're mostly low key.
[22:14] Seana Kawanishi: That's the situation now, yeah. Wasn't always so.
[22:16] Seana Kawanishi: In any case, if you'll excuse me, I need to carry my wife off to bed *grins*

(The day of the mission)





[11:46] Gallagher Aeon: The Dharma shuttle is now parked in Hale's. All members coming on mission should come over.
[11:48] Gallagher Aeon: Got your disguises sorted?
[11:50] Gallagher Aeon: I received word that the shuttle is in fact in the hanger now and because the ship is new and still under construction it is pretty much unguarded. Best to keep a firearm handy though as I have no idea how many replicant guards may be on board.
[11:56] Gallagher Aeon: I've arranged for a reaver to be released into town for the duration of the mission, should provide a good distraction
[11:57] Emma Ditko blinks. "Wait, you can -arrange- reavers?"
[11:57] Gallagher Aeon: captured one, then released it
[12:01] Jai Raghilda: Anyone else hear that?
[12:01] Duncan Cooperstone shouts: Reavers!
[12:01] Gallagher Aeon: Damn reaver. Get in Duncan Sit I will take off, damn it! What did I just say!? Damnit! Get in damn it! What the hell did I just say! Leave it! its our freakin' distraction! Sit down, I take off. It left behind

[12:02] Seana Kawanishi: This is Hale's Moon control, calling to the local Rim systems. We have a report of Reavers on the ground. Anyone in position to assist would be most welcome.



[12:07] Gallagher Aeon: Let’s do this. Got your guns
[12:08] Sandra Korobase: get them!
[12:08] Gallagher Aeon: my contact tells me there is a guard. Damn.

[12:08] Seana Xue: Hey C. What’s up?
[12:08] Seana Xue: Hard to stay awake.
[12:08] ChenLeeWoo Xeltentat: Oh the normal lots of meteors
[12:09] Seana Xue: Nothing much huh.
[12:09] Seana Xue: I can't seem to stay awake.
[12:10] Seana Xue: I got some recon on that Replicant, but other than that, nothing much.
[12:11] Seana Xue: The little cat girl still in the mines, and....what's that?

[12:11] Seana Xue: Don't.
[12:12] Duncan Cooperstone: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx cease fire¬!

[12:12] Firefly 1.022 (Beta): Seana Xue falls to the floor unconscious from ______ ______.

[12:12] Duncan Cooperstone: Cease fire. Gorramit, she was a non com
[12:12] Gallagher Aeon: She was there to die!




[12:12] unnamed Ordinary: Don't shoot
[12:13] unnamed Ordinary: Stop shooting.
[12:13] Firefly 1.022 (Beta): ChenLeeWoo Xeltentat falls to the floor unconscious from Duncan Cooperstone.
[12:13] unnamed Ordinary: Gallagher, that you? Doc?
[12:13] Gallagher Aeon: You got the key?
[12:13] unnamed Ordinary: You're late.
[12:13] Gallagher Aeon: Some trouble on the ground
[12:13] unnamed Ordinary hands Gallagher Aeon a Dharma Data key.
[12:13] Gallagher Aeon: Great
[12:13] unnamed Ordinary: This should allow you to access the terminal.
[12:13] Gallagher Aeon: You better get outta here before someone comes
[12:14] unnamed Ordinary: I'll be back in...45 minutes. (Smiles).
[12:14] Gallagher Aeon: Right, we should be able to access the shuttle bay
[12:14] unnamed Ordinary: Namaste
[12:14] Jai Raghilda: Which way?



[12:15] Gallagher Aeon: The shuttle is here
[12:15] Gabe Yazimoto stands back, at the ready.
[12:15] Gallagher Aeon enters code 108
[12:15] Jai Raghilda: Ready.
[12:16] Gallagher Aeon: Damn, we need another key
[12:16] Sandra Korobase groans



[12:16] Gallagher Aeon: The code should be in the computer terminal at the other side of the ship
[12:16] Gallagher Aeon uses the Dharma encryption key
[12:16] Object: Intruder Alert!





[12:17] Gallagher Aeon: damn my guns!
[12:17] Gabe Yazimoto groans.
[12:18] Gallagher Aeon: cease fire
[12:18] Gabe Yazimoto: Jai!
[12:18] Duncan Cooperstone: mwwwwwwaamnn`Clear
[12:18] Duncan Cooperstone: Clear! Move out




[12:18] Gabe Yazimoto looks at Sandra. "We can't leave her..!"
[12:18] Sandra Korobase takes a look at Jai, trying to find how serious it is, "Of course not! We don t leave any one here."
[12:19] Jai Raghilda dreams of living on a small tropical island somewhere in the Indian ocean on old Earth That Was
[12:19] Gabe Yazimoto: Damn, is there a med bay on board?
[12:19] Jai Raghilda wears Kevlar underwear, will recover in a minute
[12:19] Gabe Yazimoto checks Jai's vitals.
[12:19] Sandra Korobase searches in her bag some medicine to help jai up
[12:20] Raivenn Commlink: Duncan Cooperstone: Jai you got your ears on



[12:20] Gabe Yazimoto: Pulse is strong... dammit, c'mon, Jai!
[12:20] Gabe Yazimoto: my gun is smoking, huh
[12:20] Firefly 1.022 (Beta): Jai Raghilda wakes slowly looking around; Jai Raghilda sucks it up and gets back to their feet.
[12:20] Jai Raghilda: gah
[12:20] Raivenn Commlink: Sandra Korobase: She's good now
[12:20] Gabe Yazimoto: How are you feeling, Jai?
[12:20] Sandra Korobase: how do you feel, jai? *smiles
[12:21] Jai Raghilda: Like I just got worked over by replicants
[12:21] Sandra Korobase: It's normal, which means you're alive.
[12:21] Emma Ditko sighs with relief, "Phew... you all still breathin'."
[12:21] Sandra Korobase: can you walk?
[12:21] Jai Raghilda: I can walk



[12:22] Gabe Yazimoto looks at Emma. "Where are the men?"
[12:22] Emma Ditko: Uhm, there.
[12:22] Gallagher Aeon: what the hell did I tell you!? Stick together
[12:22] Gabe Yazimoto: Jai was down!
[12:22] Gallagher Aeon: fuck sake!
[12:22] Gabe Yazimoto curses.
[12:22] Gallagher Aeon: Come back for her. Duncan is down now, 'cause we had no backup.
[12:22] Sandra Korobase: what!
[12:22] Gallagher Aeon: We were attacked by 8 replicants.
[12:22] Jai Raghilda: I was unconscious, they guarded me
[12:22] Gabe Yazimoto glares.



[12:23] Gallagher Aeon enters code 5372
[12:23] Object: Intruder Alert!
[12:23] Gabe Yazimoto: Did you get the code?
[12:23] Gallagher Aeon enters code 3572
[12:23] Object: Intruder Alert!



[12:24] Gabe Yazimoto: Oh, god, Emma.
[12:24] Gabe Yazimoto: That was a close one.
[12:24] Emma Ditko pants... "I need bigger guns..."
[12:25] Reese Shawbridge: Ya be ok, Emma.

[12:25] Gallagher Aeon: we got the body, push it to the shuttle
[12:26] Gallagher Aeon: it’s in the shuttle
[12:26] Gallagher Aeon shouts: everyone inside
[12:26] Gallagher Aeon: mission complete
[12:26] Gallagher Aeon: we gotta get outta here before someone comes
[12:27] Gallagher Aeon: everyone seated?
[12:27] Gabe Yazimoto: 10-4.
[12:27] Alliance Shuttle Transport: engine start up...
[12:27] Dharma Initiative Shuttle V2.1: Engines On

[12:27] Gallagher Aeon: Right. What happened back there? Duncan almost got killed by freakin’ replicants
[12:28] Gabe Yazimoto: Jai was down, Sheriff! I ain't leaving her behind!
[12:28] Jai Raghilda: I was overcome by a zug of replicants
[12:28] Gallagher Aeon: one person could have stayed
[12:28] Sandra Korobase: we have one of us downed, mister
[12:28] Jai Raghilda: and Gabe and Sandra stayed back for me
[12:28] Gallagher Aeon: why the hell did half the team stay1
[12:28] Gabe Yazimoto: What if more came? She'd been killed!
[12:29] Gallagher Aeon: one person needed to stay, one. Not six.
[12:29] Sandra Korobase: why the hell did half the team go away! *growls
[12:29] Gabe Yazimoto: Yes, exactly.





[12:29] Gabe Yazimoto looks at Sandra.
[12:29] Duncan Cooperstone says nothing
[12:29] Gallagher Aeon: We had a mission to do
[12:29] Vegaslon Plutonian: Wasted time may have put us all at risk
[12:29] Reese Shawbridge: ummm perhaps was anybody asked to keep watch to me it looked while get the goods get out go back for injured later.
[12:30] Sandra Korobase: these things happened because this was a civilian organized operation, that s all *shrugs* but we managed however
[12:30] Gabe Yazimoto: Mission more important than Jai's life?" She scowls.
[12:30] Duncan Cooperstone: There were more than soldiers there.
[12:30] Gabe Yazimoto: ... and the guard I transported last night.
[12:30] Gabe Yazimoto sighs.
[12:31] Gallagher Aeon: don't let it happen again
[12:31] Gabe Yazimoto looks darkly at Gallagher but says nothing.
[12:31] Duncan Cooperstone shakes his head

[12:34] Gallagher Aeon send the shuttle into orbit
[12:34] Gallagher Aeon: "From now on get this clear, if one person goes down, no more than 1 person is to stay with them."
[12:35] Gabe Yazimoto is still giving Gallagher dark looks out of the corner of her eye.
[12:35] Gallagher Aeon: half the team staying to guard one person isn’t necessary and just puts everyone else in danger. When I say stick together I mean just that.
[12:35] Gabe Yazimoto: ... yes, Sheriff.
[12:35] Firefly 1.022 (Beta): Jai Raghilda' notices their wounds are healed. Jai Raghilda is ready to kick some ASS!
[12:35] Gallagher Aeon: was a complete shambles

[12:35] LilyBell Snoodle purrs and cuddles in to Gallagher "you ok?"
[12:35] Gabe Yazimoto glances ay Jai.
[12:35] Gallagher Aeon: no
[12:35] LilyBell Snoodle: Want to dance?
[12:35] Jai Raghilda: winks at Gabe
[12:35] LilyBell Snoodle: Want some cookies?
[12:35] Gabe Yazimoto smiles.
[12:36] Jai Raghilda: waves at Sandra and Emma and smiles.
[12:36] Gallagher Aeon: Mission over go relax eat cookies, drink beer











Namaste

AuroraBlue: "It is beginning"

Gallagher, Gabe and I found AuroraBlue lurking the the Blue Sun offices. Coughs, security.

AuroraBlue spoke cryptically about preparing and work needs to be done, needing workers etc, and complaining that we come into her space without being invited, "You come into the mines. We do not ask you to come. But you come." Please note the use of the word "we", more on that. She said she did not know what she was preparing for. She's looks different every time I see her. It looked like she was wearing makeup, when asked, she replied, "No. It is beginning," and "....but it is almost too late anyway." Contrary to what Lily said, AuroraBlue denies that the mines are making her weaker and that she likes the mines.

Sometimes her eyes flashed and sometimes she moved mechanically and spoke as if someone else were speaking. She was building some sort of a holder, but only smiled when I asked who designed it. She didn't even tell us what it did, "I don't know. It is some type of holder. I don't know how it will hold all of...what it is supposed to hold."





AuroraBlue "I will dig out the hole for Mindo if they do not start soon. If we wait too long it will be too late."

Gallagher asked what Mindo was waiting for, to which AuroraBlue eyes glowing steadily and she replied "he is waiting for Krenshar".

Gallagher also asked if she knew why krenshar has been acting strangely lately.

She said she knew why and when asked why she called out "x y z" a couple times before she ditched us.

Gallagher and I pooled our collective ignorance on about xyz:
- The last letter of alphabet
- x y z axis
- eXamine Your Zipper?
- .xyz file format is a chemical file format. There is no formal standard and several variations exist, but a typical XYZ format specifies the molecule geometry by giving the number of atoms with cartesian coordinates that will be read on the first line, a comment on the second, and the lines of atomic coordinates in the following lines. The file format is used in computational chemistry programs for importing and exporting geometries. The units are generally in Ångströms.

No one has commented on my theory that x0xo Zhangsun and Blue Sun Corporation are here in Hale because of AuroraBlue, LilyBell, Blue and Krenshar. AuroraBlue's activities in the mines, her relationship to Blue, the bots and the reavers. Krenshar behaving oddly. Bot attacks. Mother Bot.

Guess will just have to wait and see what she meant by it.

Zenobian Trade Consulate

Zenobian Trade Consulate


The Consolidated Associate Traders of Zenobia (CATZ) opened a trade consulate in Hale's Moon, its between the Planetarium and Fook Yoos. Formerly Madame Lenore's home of Negotiable Love. We had to sandblast some of that sticky love off the floors and walls, even the ceiling. All better now, moving on.

That's Gabe and I in our new uniforms and Laken "Spendy Girl" Susserman. Laken is part of the Zenobian Trade Association. Zeno too.

Gabe and I got fancy new uniforms for when we go to the Core on business or deal with the Alliance. I call it Gestapo Flight Attendant.



I fly, Gabe crews. She can shoot straight and is good at lots of things. Most importantly, she is good at things I am not good at. She made up the fancy CATZ sign among other things. Cool gun rack too, for her 'girls'. Names her guns. Meh, mercs.

WE DO NOT LET GABE DRIVE



Seriously, never. Although Gallagher's driving scares me more

The new office is slick, I moved Desse's and my apartment upstairs. The new office has a roof tube and a coffee replicant, a chilltastic couch. I am starting to stock it with stuff from Zenobia and Laken's wares and some of what I am hauling.

Laken carries cool medical stuff. A variety of cryostasis among them.



Zenobia produces a wide variety of high quality agricultural goods. I don't understand the economics of hauling potatoes to the rim, but I'm just a pilot.

BONUS! Gabe and I got a trip to Zenobia.

Zeno has a fancy spendy ship and we were able to take a round trip to see Zenobia.

The CATZ office in the Low Orbital Station:



The repair shop which is trying to figure out why my cargo shuttle ejects people when it releases its cargo.



The station was ginormous. We got a tour of the castle. Zenobia is strage, 26th century on the space station, medeival castle and village on the grounds. The Zenobian Nobility is....moving on. Too many pictures of the castle and village, will wait for another time. Free medieval clothing. Like I said, the Zenobian Nobility is....ummm they write my paycheck. Moving on.

We checked out the Tavern also.

Chilling in the West Village

We spend a lot more time in the West Village of the Hale's Wasteland. There's a lot to do. Here's a day in the life.

Chill in the Fook Me Hookah lounge with the Sheriff and his stoned monkey, Neelix. The lounge is "Chilltastic" as they say in some law enforcement circles.



A lot of folks work on projects that are not suited to the spaceport:





Emma visited, been away for a while. So of course, we crashed Amon's apartment and drank his liquor and played with his things. Nice bed Amon, keep the hope alive.

Shepherd Duncan Abbot Baptises LilyBell

Shepherd Duncan Abbot Baptises LilyBell



After Sheriff Gallagher finished counseling me about community signage standards in the Hale Spaceport and showed me his fly new ship, we ran into a shepherd by the name of Duncan Abbot.

Lilybell was all happy to show him the new church and obsessed only a little bit about the sheep in one of the statues. She had many questions regarding baptising her cub versus just holding her underwater for a very long time. To his credit, Shepherd Abbot took it all in stride and patiently answered her many questions.

With only a little prodding after a quiet and gentle suggestion, LilyBell agreed to be baptised. I snapped pics and I got witnesses, Gallagher and his monkey, me and my civet, Duncan Abbot and Coop's wolf Rebel. Gallagher drank his coffee while I sang a few verses of Amazing Grace. Over in the fountain in the courtyard, very nice.

LilyBell was enthusiastic and hoped she would be transformed by the experience. A lot of talk about choosing to be good and having a soul followed.

Afterwards people dispersed to do their various and needful tasks, or whatever they do when I don't see them.

Later that day, while setting up the new trade offices for Zenobia with Gabe, x0x0 Zhangsun came by and looked it over. I let her know that her ad was syndicated into the Cortex News Service and hopefully more applicants should apply soon. She was interested in our replicant secretary, but it is not ready for resale yet. She was really looking for LilyBell. I informed x0 that I had not seen LilyBell since she got baptised this morning. x0x0 was surprised by this and said, "It has an interest in spiritual things?" Gabe and I corrected x0x0 that LilyBell is a she and not an it to which she replied "She, it, whatever..." and jotted down notes in her research pad. Ummm, errrr, ehhhh, ummm......huh. I tried not to compare x0x0 with her brother mindo, but this 'it' thing is hard to get past. And viewing LilyBell as a research subject brings to mind questions about why Blue Sun might really be here: LilyBell, AuroraBlue, Blue, Krenshar? I am going to hope that I am reading too much into that faux pas and she merely has bad habits from the company she normally keeps, but it merits caution and observation.

Speaking of watching, am I the only one that noticed a Blue Sun Spy Cam at Speedy's?

I need to find some folks with super secrety spy stuff and ask them.

WHO DAT?

WHO DAT?



AuroraBlue came for a visit. Her hair no longer died black, still wearing Gallagher's Dharma jumpsuit and covered in grey dust. Looks like Dr. Scholl's pajamas. Ornery as ever, but didn't bite. She was looking for Blue. LIlyBell and her got a little pushy-shovey.



Monday had 5 or 6 (estimated) rounds of reaver attacfks. LilyBell, Gabe, Reese Shawbridge, Amon and I fended them off successful as part of the local militia. Amon was particularly persistent, wanting to dish out some payback for his grievous injuries the week before. He is still recovering and adjusting to his new prosthetic limbs. Reese was seriously injured, boxed in at the Starstruck's Coffee Shop Petstore. Gabe carried him to the infirmiry while being attacked by a reaver while the rest of us tried to fend the reaver off.



Take a close look at this reaver and tell me if those don't look like wires?



Amon lost his ship, his legs and an arm from a reaver attack while en route to Shadow. He finally got fitted with more advanced prosthetic legs. He was particularly motivated to give the Reavers "WHAT FOR!"



x0x0 Shangsun has been a frequent face around Hale. Blue Sun is opening a big op in East Hale. LilyBell calls her Red Fur. She spoke to me, for reals. It was like meeting a celebrity. I should have asked for an autograph. She's hiring btw. Executive Assistant/Security/Pilot/Liason/Computer, etc. That's just one job. You will need security clearance, references and figure out how to pronounce x0x0. Amon is applying for the job, think Duncan will give him a personal reference?



Coop and Immy have been hanging out, tough getting them to sit down. They are helping me out to deliver the Coffea Liberica and the endangered Sumatran Coffee Civets to Zenobia.

Krenshar has been acting...quirky, twitchy, squirlly, odd...dunno hard to tell exactly. He often runs around in circle and jumps at random. Talks cryptically about things as if you were present for the previous 5 conversations. Crashing a mule? Well, Gabe did that? Gallagher did something to shut him off temp and get his serial number or something. Ah, dunno what's going on. Krenshar is weirded out about Blue Sun moving in so close. Amon kept suggesting to have a programmer look at Krenshar. Krenshar did not like that. Lily got clawsy.

And finally, WHO DAT?

Coffee Quest

You wouldn't believe the crap that some people drink.

Soylent Green: It's good for people, because it's people.

A new bistro was opening in Hale's Moon. One that touched on one of my few passions, coffee. A bid went out to supply the coffee. It was a small amount, and I figured I could just find a decent cup somewhere along my usual route and help out a friend.

Nooooooo. Uh-uh, no such luck. The rim and the border are woefully lack in decent Coffea. The blank stares I got when I asked where I could score a few pounds of Café Rico or Panama Geisha told me what I needed to know.

I confabbed (or some other cool jargony type word) with the Consolidated Association Traders of Zenobia and got a fuel and docking alotment to try and find and supplier of decent coffee for the rim and border. And maybe some raw resources for the Core.

Gabe agreed to crew with me for the trip. She put in some fancy purple color chopstick in her hair, this counts as dressing up.


Personally, I found the Core to be a little stuffy, controlling, bureaucratic, punitive, overly structured, etc. Granted, I went to boarding school and was beaten by nuns, but, .... Ummmmm....oh, and my point was.....hm....oh yes....the food was fab. It's the only thing I really miss.

Mostly, I miss Sushi and decent coffee. I have managed to provide a good and fresh supply of sushi for the Fook Me Hookah Lounge in the Hale Wasteland Village.

Now is my opportunity for a regular supply of decent coffee. Our main obstacles is that there was not a lot of good info on suppliers of good coffee and the known suppliers of good coffee in the core is not priced right for cost sensitive folks in the core.

We would have to do some serious leg work.

They make you go thru a sterilizer before you enter the city limits. Pfft.


Lot of cool gadgets to try and sell us mediocre coffee. Mostly people wanted to sell us Tea or Sake.

No no no, COFFEE, C-O-F-F-E-E, COFFEE. Not a gong. You want one so much, buy one for your Hookah Lounge.


No no no, COFFEE, C-O-F-F-E-E, COFFEE. Not some tea serving 'bot.


We searched high and low. Not a decent coffee place to be found.


Even chased down a local named Vinny, he ran away. Concealed weapons next time, Gabe.


We got desperate, we were willing to check anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. This was in Old New Delphi.


I was weak, we were desperate, Gabe orders grapefruit juice from an anthro. Hippy. Finally, this guy hooks us up with another guy who knew a guy with civets. Yeah, Civets. Asian Palm Civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago of Old Earth That Was.

This was the break we were waiting for. We head to the Wastelands and meet Hercule and his civet farm.

The endangered Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxorus Philippinensis) dines on a endangered coffee species, Coffea Liberica.

Kopi Luwak is the best coffee ever produced by any civilization, EVER. And pricey as hell. Kopi Luwak is coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). The civets eat the berries, but the beans inside pass through their system undigested. Kopi is the Indonesian word for coffee, and luwak is a local name of the Asian Palm Civet.

Civets are often casually referred to as "cats" or "weasels", but they are not in the cat or weasel family. Palm civets are primarily frugivorous, feeding on berries and pulpy fruits, including those of Ficus trees and plams. They also eat small vertebrates, insects, ripe fruits and seeds.

Civets consume the red coffee cherries, and they tend to pick the ripest and sweetest fruit. The inner bean of the berry is not digested, but a unique combination of enzymes in the stomach of the civet add to the coffee's flavor by breaking down the proteins that give coffee its bitter taste. The beans are thoroughly washed, and given only a light roast so as to not destroy the complex flavors that develop through the process. Light roasting is considered particularly desirable in coffees that do not exhibit bitterness, and the most pronounced characteristic of Kopi Luwak is a marked reduction in bitterness.

Anyway, we cut a deal. 50 breeding pairs of endangered Asian Palm Civets.

Hercule also hooks us up with the grey market for premium coffee. Kopi Luwak is made from Liberica coffee beans, neither Arabica nor Robusta.

Trading away some of the civets and distribution rights to Zenobia, we negotiate good coffee.

Santos - from Brazil's famous coffee pass through, is a low acidic light bodied brew.

Colombian Maragogype, Caturra, Typica and Bourbon cultivars. Has a bright acidity, is heavy in body and is intensely aromatic.

Sulawesi Toraja Kalossi — Grown at high altitudes on the island of Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) in the middle of the Malay archipelago in Indonesia. Rich, full body, well-balanced acidity (slightly more than Sumatra) and is multi-dimensional in character. It has dark chocolate and ripe fruit undertones.

Tanzania Peaberry — from Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. "Peaberry" means that the beans come one to a cherry (coffee fruit) instead of the usual two. Peaberries naturally occur for only approximately 10% of any crop.

Indonesian Coffea Liberica is a species of coffee that originated in Liberia, West Africa. The coffee tree grows up to 9 metres in height, producing cherries that are larger than the cherries found on Arabica trees. It is commonly cultivated in Javanese colonies today.

Kape Barako, also spelled Baraco is a rare Coffea Liberica varietal grown in the Philippine colonies. Barako is the Filipino term for a the male stud of an animal, and has become associated with the image of a tough man. Kape Barako is prepared using a drip brewing device, French press, or by simply pouring hot water unto the grounds and filtering the mixture using a piece of cloth. Barako is often sweetened with honey or brown sugar. Barako can be used to make espresso and other espresso-based drinks. It has the largest beans of all the coffee varieties. Its taste is said to be superior to Robusta. Barako is considered to be the best among Liberica species. Aside from being a beverage, Kape Barako is also used as a body scrub in spa treatment.

Kenyan Blue Mountain — the arabica varieties are reknowned among coffee enthusiasts to have a bright, "acidic" flavor. The Blue Mountain variety/cultivar is also raised here. Coffee from Kenya is well known for its intense flavor, full body, and pleasant aroma. Kenya AA is a classification of coffee grown in Kenya. All Kenyan coffee is graded after it is milled, grades are assigned based on the screen size of the bean. Beans with a screen size of 17 or 18 (17/64 or 18/64 of an inch) are assigned the grade AA, generally the largest bean. While the large bean size is considered by many to be a sign of quality, but it is only one of many factors in determining high quality coffee.

Puerto Rico - Café Rico, also known as Alto Grande. Same cultivar/variety as Jamaican Blue Mountain, originally cultivated on the mountain slopes of the Island of Peurto Rico. The official coffee of the Papal offices of the Vatican.

Panama Geisha variety - From the Panamanian highlands of Boquete in Chiriqui Province, highly sought after by bidders in auctions, achieving high prices.

Hawaiian Kona — From the Hualalai slopes of the Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Jamaican Blue Mountain — From the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica. Due to its popularity, it fetches a high price in the market. This variety/cultivar is also grown in Kenya and Puerto Rico.

PHEW! So here we are loaded for bear with 45 tons of the 'Verse's best coffee and 25 breeding pairs left of Asian Palm Civets. I kept on pair and a baby civet (which I named Paradoxurus)

How much coffee does LilyBell want? 50 pounds a month. I give her a good deal on some Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiin Kona along with some Colombian.